Some of the highlights of the holiday season are the times that a family spends together. These special occasions can be divided into three parts: planning and looking forward to them, enjoying the actual events and, finally, looking back on them with pleasant memories. Many families, feeling blessed to have each other, find ways of sharing their good fortune with others. While working within their budgets, these families do a variety of generous things to spread goodwill and holiday spirit to others.
Some of the gracious gestures and activities that you might plan for your family group and perhaps some friends, are:
 | Take your group, armed with song books to a neighborhood senior residence for a caroling party. Pass out song sheets to the audience so that they, too, can join in. Bring light refreshments like punch and cookies to build the event into a cheery holiday happening. (See our Free Stuff Page for a free downloadable Caroling Party Book) |
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If you have a garage sale-goin’ family, spend time and a few dollars throughout the year to search out nearly new toys and games. During the holidays make a festivity out of gathering to spruce up the items so that they look new. According to the requirements of your local toy drive, wrap and label the gifts and deliver them to the drop center. |
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There are organizations that will match your family with another for a holiday sharing concept where your family shops for the other. Your children select gifts for the “adopted family” children to be delivered with a basket of food for the family—a bountiful holiday celebration. |
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Another family time and talent sharing option is help the residents of a senior center with holiday card addressing, gift wrapping, along with other errands that will make their holiday season complete. |
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Families enjoy helping at a holiday meal given for the homeless at a church or shelter. Taking this time out of their comfortable day, adds meaning and contemplation to it. |
Every family or neighborhood has a member or two that are distant for some reason. When planning a family “giving and sharing” project consider that you might have worthy recipients within your family or circle of friends. These “close-to-home” gestures are best if they are made in a low-key, if not anonymous way.
